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Increasing Atascadero's sales tax would help upgrade roads, described as the city's "biggest challenge," city leaders say. Shown here is pavement damage on East Front Street.
dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com

The Walmart project has been held hostage by a small group of people for more than five years. Two elections have been held and both approved the project. It’s time to move forward. The Walmart project is estimated to bring in between $1 million and $2 million per year in tax revenue, the same as the proposed tax increase.

If the city would come up with some incentives to encourage viable businesses to move into some of the vacant storefronts and get the Walmart project on track, it would find itself with plenty of funds to improve roads, as well as a tax surplus for future projects.

See how SLO has changed (and hasn't changed) since the 1880s

Protesters disrupt GOP health care hearing

How to avoid car theft

A semi-truck full of grapes overturned in San Luis Obispo and closed Buckley Road at Vachell Lane on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Jordan Richards describes the scene.